Headteacher Rydon Primary School Candidate Information Working together so children can lead great lives Welcome from Education South West Dear Candidate, Thank you for your interest in Education South West - we are always on the lookout for exceptional talent to join us and contribute to our team of creative education professionals. At Education South West we believe that education makes children’s lives better, it is as simple as that; it enables them to lead great lives in every sense of the word. We believe that every child has the right to achieve all that they are capable of and more, regardless of their background or raw ability. Across all of our schools our staff aim to provide an educational experience which is outstanding; our schools all believe strongly in the power of and broad and balanced curriculum. Sport, art, technology drama and music play an important role in all of our schools. We encourage innovation, creativity and individuality. By sharing this individuality and creativity we firmly believe that schools and communities become stronger through such unity and collaboration. We are caring and compassionate. Every individual in our schools matters and we believe strongly that children and staff should enjoy their time at school, and work. A positive can-do attitude to their work and study is a must. The happier and more stimulated a person is the more motivated they are to improve. We believe in developing a positive attitude to learning and to life, in having clear goals and in providing a supportive environment to help the realisation of these. We support and challenge our school leaders and the staff in our schools to be the very best they can, leading effective teams at every level, growing future leaders and working together to provide an exciting education for all. We welcome and support aspirational and ambitious teachers and classroom support staff, dedicated to supporting children through their time at school. We offer excellent opportunities and professional development through in-school CPD, our Research School status, through our teaching schools and through our links with the wider education community. We are ambitious for our children and our employees and always looking to support, challenge and develop our talent, whatever stage you are in your career. When recruiting staff to work with children we place great importance on: • people who go the extra mile • a commitment to professional development and a desire to continue learning, via research, private study and in learning from others • a desire to ensure that everything that is done within schools is the very best it can • a firm commitment to the philosophy that we work in education to improve young people’s lives and improve society; we serve our communities and the wider populace • the ability to develop positive relationships with pupils, children and parents • good interpersonal and communication skills when liaising with stakeholders • a good sense of humour • a commitment to working in partnership with others and sharing selflessly best practice within and outside of ESW Your journey with ESW starts here and I look forward to meeting you in the future. Yours faithfully, Matthew Shanks CEO Working together so children can lead great lives 1 Welcome from Peter Di Giuseppe, Chair of the Board Dear Candidate, Thank you for your interest in Rydon Primary School. I am delighted that you are considering joining the Education South West family and I hope that this information pack along with the school website gives you all of the information that you need to apply for the position of Headteacher. ESW is the result of the merger of two MATs in January 2017. We have ten schools spanning primary, all-through and secondary: nearly 5,000 students and 600 staff in total. The aim of the Trust is simple: to work together so that children can lead great lives. We achieve this through collaboration and sharing of best practice at all levels but especially through the senior leadership teams. Rydon Primary School is the largest of our primaries. It is expected that its headteacher will make a significant contribution to the development of the other primary schools in the Trust. We want to attract a high calibre of staff to ESW and we want them to progress. We want all of our staff to be exceptional and so offer unrivalled professional development and support. Many of our senior and middle leaders started as teachers with us and have developed into highly talented practitioners. We offer internal and external training including participation in Teaching Schools South West and South West Teaching School - your professional development is important to us. If you have a genuine desire to do the best for young people, then we would welcome your application. Kind regards Peter Di Giuseppe Chair Working together so children can lead great lives 2 Letter from the Adrian Hines, Chair of Rydon LGB Dear Candidate, On behalf of the Rydon Primary School Governing Body, I’d like to thank you for your interest in our school. The Governing Body takes great pride in being part of a school community that is friendly and welcoming, and incredibly committed to delivering the very best for all the children in the school. The staff in the school put great energy and hard work into their day-to-day activities, whilst also devoting their effort and thought to school improvement. They bring a wealth of experience and creativity to their roles and work together as a strong team. The school leaders’ team have engendered a strong sense of purpose, uniting the team in the pursuit of success. As a school we seek to engage actively in the wider community in general, and in the community of schools in the local area and in Education South West. The exceptional behaviour of our pupils both in school, and when involved in activities outside of school, is a particular source of pride. The school has a solid foundation to build upon, with both staff and Governors ambitious to continue to strive for further improvement. We are at an exciting stage completing the implementation of a revised curriculum, with the opportunity to build upon this to reap the benefits through delivering impact over the coming years. We are looking to appoint an experienced Headteacher to continue our drive towards school improvement, to ensure that the benefits of the effort invested in the curriculum are realised, and to maintain our role within the wider community. Most importantly, we are seeking a Headteacher who can drive us forward in the pursuit of the very best outcomes for each and every child in the school. The successful candidate will benefit from an engaged and supportive team of governors who aim to work collaboratively with school leaders to ensure continued progress with school improvement. Thank you in advance for the time that I know you will commit to this process. Yours faithfully, Adrian Hines Chair of Governors Working together so children can lead great lives 3 THE POST We are looking for candidates who will: • be innovative, determined and driven to constantly seek improvement for the children and communities that we serve • have the creative flair and vision to maximize the resources of the school • continue to promote the highest level of pastoral care • have proven leadership, management and communication skills • be proactive in engaging with other schools This is a school that is embracing change whilst seeking to maintain all that led OFSTED to proclaim it “a good school” in January 2017. With the appropriate leader Rydon will continue on its journey to becoming an outstanding one. We can offer: • the opportunity to lead a successful school as part of a successful and growing Multi Academy Trust • challenge of developing and implementing a vision for the future of the school • the opportunity of working with enthusiastic and well-behaved children • a Trust which cares about its employees as well as its outcomes • personalised CPD which is second to none as a leading part of Teaching Schools South West and Kingsbridge Research School • the opportunity to develop your career further as part of an expanding Trust • a very supportive, dedicated and enthusiastic staff body • a parent body committed to moving the school forward • a highly effective, supportive and challenging Governing body • the support of dedicated and experienced school leaders • a shared services operation which cuts out the ‘white noise’ and enables our Headteachers to focus on running their school Rydon Primary School is a popular, creative and vibrant school where children are enthusiastic about their learning. We have highly dedicated staff and committed governors who are seeking an exceptional Head Teacher to continue to lead our school. Working together so children can lead great lives 4 The board of Education South West are looking to appoint an inspirational and dedicated Head Teacher to continue to emphasise the importance of our values of respect, resilience, responsibility and teamwork. We are looking for a Head Teacher who will continue to raise standards for all children and have the ability to communicate their vision effectively and engaging staff and the wider community in making it a reality. If you think that you are a highly motivated, outward looking, passionate and creative person; one who wants to play a key role as part of a successful multi-academy trust, and is able to lead and inspire our team and make a difference to our children’s lives then we would be delighted to talk with you. In return, we can offer you becoming part of a highly successful and growing Multi Academy Trust in a beautiful part of the country.